EDC 102 Context Statement Project
State and District Data Collection
Safe & Supportive Schools • Funding & Resources

Use the InfoWorks Live website at http://infoworks.ride.ri.gov/ to collect the necessary data to describe your school district.

Safe and Supportive Schools
For definitions, go to http://infoworks.ride.ri.gov/safe-and-supportive/definitions-and-background
Attendance

State
State target
Your district
Attendance Rate (Elementary Schools) 2009-10
94%
90%
95%
Attendance Rate (Middle Schools) 2009-10
94%
90%
95%
Attendance Rate (High Schools) 2009-10
91%
90%
95%
Attendance Rate (All Schools) 2009-10
93%
90%
95%
Chronic Absenteeism 2008-09
16%

8%
Four year graduation rate (2009-2010)



Percent graduated in 2010
75.8%

85.6%
Percent dropped out
14.1%

7.2%
Percent received GED
3.4%

5.6%
Percent still in school
6.7%

1.6%
Five year graduation rate (2009-2010)



Percent graduated in 2009
75.8%

84.5%
Percent graduated in 2010
2.7%

1.2%
Percent graduated in five years
75.8%

85.7%
Incidents of suspension (2008-2009)



Number of Incidents (Elementary Schools)
2914

0
Number of Incidents (Middle Schools)
14,730

57
Number of Incidents (High Schools)
24491

93
Student indicators (2009)



Stability Index (Elementary Schools)
87%

93%
Mobility Index (Elementary Schools)
13%

7%
Stability Index (Middle Schools)
90%

92%
Mobility Index (Middle Schools)
11%

8%
Stability Index (High Schools)
85%

91%
Mobility Index (High Schools)
16%

10%

Funding and Resources
For definitions, go to http://infoworks.ride.ri.gov/funding-and-resources/definitions-and-background

Property value per student
Per pupil expenditure
Median family income
Portsmouth
$ 1,235,887.00
$ 12,346.93
$ 68,557
East Greenwich (for comparison)
$ 1,108,250.74
$ 13,365.41
$ 90,221.00
Central Falls (for comparison)
$ 194,215.00
$ 14,563.99
$ 26,844.00
State Average

$ 15,318

To find the state average funding per student, go here:
http://www.ride.ri.gov/Finance/funding/Uniform%20Chart%20of%20Accounts/2010/state.htm
and look in the pdf entitled: "FY10 Equalized Per Pupil District - Each District and Statewide" Note: Before leaving this page, you should take note and reconcile this page with Kozol's argument in the first chapter of Shame of the Nation.


Summary Paragraph(s)

Overall, the school districts in Portsmouth seem to be safer, have higher attendance rates and graduation rates compared to the state of Rhode Island. But, the comparison is not really that big a difference. Portsmouth's attendance rates were 95% in all schools compared to around 93% for the other schools in the states. The data shows that 90% is the target attendance rate that the state was striving for so Portsmouth did well. The graduation rate after four years in Portsmouth is 85.6% which is substantially better than the at 75.8%. Even the five year graduation rate in Portsmouth is better than the state, 85.7% compared to 75.8%. Depending on the number of students who attend Portsmouth schools, the number of incidents leading to suspension seem vastly lowered out of the state as a whole. A very small percentage of the incidents in the state come out of Portsmouth schools making it seem relatively safe.

Portsmouth appears to be in the middle-upper level in terms of median family income, per pupil expenditure and property value per student. Compared to East Greenwich and Central Falls, Portsmouth ranks higher in median family income than Central Falls but lower than East Greenwich. The property value per student in Portsmouth is much greater than Central Falls and a bit more than East Greenwich. The difference between this value from Central Falls to Portsmouth is shocking. Central Falls is close to $200,000 compared to $1,235,887 in Portsmouth, which is more than five times greater. Per pupil expenditure is $12,346.93 in Portsmouth which is lower than the state average and lower than both East Greenwich and Central Falls.